CCC Progress Report: comments

Please see below comments on the Committee on Climate Change Progress Report [1], listed under topic area. For more information or for interview requests, contact: George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net

Homes:
 
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU): "We’re seeing a surge of interest from the British public in net zero technologies like solar panels, EVs and home batteries, but even though interest is growing and numbers are on the up, the UK is currently a long way behind countries like Germany and France in switching to heat pumps. The North Sea is a mature basin and gas output will inevitably continue to decline so unless the UK makes much greater efforts to swap out gas boilers for heat pumps, we will become increasingly dependent on the decisions of actors like Putin and Trump to heat our homes. Parts of the gas boiler industry have successfully lobbied to delay the rollout of heat pumps, but in doing so has left the UK less energy secure.
 
"Other countries have seen huge surges in air-to-air heat pumps, which can cool homes too - a growing necessity as the current extreme heatwave, driven by climate change, shows. These types of heat pumps are now supported by government schemes and could be a vital lifeline for vulnerable people, like children and the elderly, whose health can be at risk from the heat." 
 
Industry:
 
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU): "UK industry has faced significant headwinds for decades particularly as result of competition from China, but more recently with high gas prices from back-to-back crises triggered by conflicts thousands of miles away. Electrifying where possible means industries are less exposed to these high gas prices, as more British renewables work to further lower wholesale electricity prices - with large windfarms cutting them by a third last year. Much later than in other countries, the UK Government has finally followed the example of Germany and France by switching levies off heavy industry bills to help UK competitiveness in steel, ceramics and cement, which are backbone industries in many communities but there are questions about whether the eligibility is too narrow. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could help give UK industry a competitive advantage as the we increasingly move to clean technologies like electric arc furnaces at Port Talbot."

Road transport:
 
Colin walker, Head of Transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU): “The UK is undergoing a surge in EV sales, as more and more drivers look to escape rising fuel prices by making the shift to cheaper and cleaner electric driving. The CCC has joined organisations like the International Energy Agency in identifying the Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate as underpinning this surge, incentivising manufacturers to lower their prices as they compete for sales to hit their targets. Autotrader has found that the average price of a new EV is now less than the average price of a new petrol. [2]
 
“The Government has already bowed to industry lobbying by weakening the mandate last year, potentially embroiling itself in a "Dieselgate 2" scandal by incentivising manufacturers to sell more plug-in hybrids, instead of EVs. PHEVs have been found to consume five times more fuel than their manufacturers claim, and cost over £1000 a year more to own run. The extra PHEVs that could be sold as a result of this flip-flopping by the Government could land their UK owners with a £13.8bn bill. [3]
 
“With industry once again lobbying for the mandate to be weakened yet further, the CCC is unequivocal in stating that the Government now needs to stand firm. With industry as a whole successfully complying with the mandate in 2024 and 2025, and on track to do so again in 2026, there is little case for any more changes. Furthermore, were the Government to cave in, the negative consequences would be considerable. EV prices could bounce back up, leaving people stuck driving expensive-to-run petrol cars in the midst of a global energy crisis. The UK’s efforts to improve its energy security by reducing its dependence on foreign oil imports would be weakened. And the Government’s ambitions to hit net zero - the only scientifically proven means we have to tackle climate change - would be severely undermined”.

Meat and diet:
 
Jez Fredenburgh, Senior Analyst – Food & Climate at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU): “As the CCC notes, household purchases of beef and lamb fell 5% between 2024 and 2025. This is part of a long term trend of Brits choosing to buy less red meat as preferences and cooking habits have changed, and health has become a more prominent driver.
 
“We now eat around 60% less beef, lamb and pork than our parents and grandparents did 50 years ago [4] – that trend has sped up in recent years and is reflected in falling imports as well as domestic production.
 
“Another reason for this change is likely that prices are up, and climate change is itself a driver here with extreme weather including drought impacting farmland last year. Another factor that is likely to start pushing up meat prices further is the current oil crisis impacting energy, fuel, and fertiliser costs for farmers.
 
“Particularly given these trends, there is no available evidence suggesting government might try to ‘force’ people to stop eating meat and dairy, but many people are already making different food choices for themselves and their families."
 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The Climate Change Committee Progress Report is published on Wednesday 24 June. 

2. Autotrader: https://plc.autotrader.co.uk/news-views/press-releases/brand-new-electric-cars-cheaper-than-petrol-for-third-month-running-as-discounting-drives-ev-affordability/

3. ECIU: https://eciu.net/media/press-releases/softening-ev-sales-target-could-spark-another-dieselgate-think-tank-says

4. Defra: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/family-food-fye-2024/family-food-fye-2024#table-21-quantities-of-household-purchases-of-food-and-drink-in-the-uk-fye-2024

For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net